Royale Projects is pleased to announce Lady Lazarus, a solo exhibition of works by Kim Manfredi opening September 14, 2024 and running through November 9, 2024.
Lady Lazarus is a resurrection of historical artworks breathing new life into past narratives. Taking its title from Sylvia Plath’s searing poem, this body of work challenges viewers to confront the complex intersections of history, identity, power, and femininity.
Blending the raw energy of rattle can spray paint with the timeless elegance of traditional oils, Manfredi bridges the gap between classical and contemporary techniques offering a dynamic interpretation of age-old themes. Her paintings land between abstraction and representation, street art and surrealism, the spiritual and the concrete creating tensions that mirror the complexity of her subject matter.
Manfredi draws from the rich visual language of Renaissance and Baroque art, spotlighting marginalized figures like Mary and Judith. Through these paintings, she explores themes of bravery, compassion, love, grief, and endurance. By reimagining masterpieces such as “Mary Magdalene” by Artemisia Gentileschi- one of the 17th century’s most renowned female artists who defied the constraints of a male-dominated art world— this body of work highlights feminine resilience while reflecting on the societal influences that have shaped and often overshadowed these narratives.
“My paintings, infused with intersectional feminist ideals, strive to dissolve boundaries and create a dialogue about the evolving roles of women today.”
Manfredi graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art in 1988. She returned to MICA and graduated under the tutelage of Grace Hartigan and Joyce Kozloff earning an MFA in 2009. After graduating, she has attended residencies at RUC, Vermont Studio Center, VCCA, and Maryland Art Place. She was recently selected by the Torrance Art Museum for a month-long residency in Greece that will culminate with a museum exhibition.